INCIDENTS of online ticket fraud rose by 55 per cent last year at a cost of £5.2million to the UK public, figures show.

The sum is a leap from the £3.35million lost by consumers in 2014, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) of fraudulent tickets sold online last year for Rugby World Cup and Premier League matches, according to the Government-backed web security initiative Get Safe Online and the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

Some 15 per cent related to fraudulent tickets to gigs and festivals. Those aged 20 to 29 accounted for more than a quarter (28 per cent) of victims. Get Safe Online urged sports and music fans to be vigilant, especially on social media sites, ahead of the Uefa Euro 2016 Championship in June and the summer festival season.

Findings show that 21 per cent of crimes relating to ticket fraud were instigated through Facebook and 6 per cent on Twitter.

Get Safe Online chief executive Tony Neate said: “These criminals will jump at any chance to exploit people, but it’s worth remembering their scams don’t work without people handing over money.”

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NEXT is expected to post lower than expected annual profits on Thursday.

The high street chain downgraded its central full-year profit forecast to a rise of 4 per cent to £817million in January, from £827million, after it blamed unusually warm weather for a “disappointing” festive sales performance.

The well-regarded retailer posted a shock 0.5 per cent fall in sales across its 540 stores in the 60 days to December 24, while growth across its Next Directory online and catalogue arm slowed sharply to 2 per cent as its trading woes were compounded by stock shortages and tougher online competition.

However, the group said its move not to discount ahead of Christmas meant its full-year profit range was maintained at between £810million and £845million.

Lord Wolfson, chief executive of Next, said sales of coats and knitwear were hit hard in the run-up to the festive season.

While the group said the warm weather was the main reason for its disappointing trading, it admitted that it had suffered due to stock shortages after failing to anticipate a bigger than expected shift in buying patterns.

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Flybe was the highest rated UK carrier

NO UK airline has made it on to a list of the top 10 European carriers based on more than 90,000 passenger reviews.

Luxembourg’s Luxair was ranked number one by customers of online travel firm eDreams, with an average score of 4.11 out of five last year.

It was highly regarded for the cleanliness of its aircraft, in-flight entertainment and cabin crew. Austrian Airlines took second place with a rating of 4.08, while Swiss International Air Lines was third with 4.06.

Turkish Airlines came top in terms of value for money. The data, released exclusively to the Press Association, suggests that travellers believe British airlines are no match for their European rivals.

Flybe was the highest rated UK carrier in 16th place with an average rating of 3.89 out of five. British Airways scored 3.85, putting it in second place in the UK and 18th across Europe, while Monarch’s results were rounded to the same score, putting it in 19th.

A recent review by a BA passenger flying from Heathrow to Luxembourg complained about the “outrageous charge” for checking in luggage, while an irate Monarch customer claimed there was “no reason given” for their flight from Rome to Luton being delayed.

Helen Breen, flight specialist at eDreams, said: “Many UK airlines have a lot to learn from their European counterparts.”

SUNDAY EXPRESS

BHS is holding last-ditch talks with its landlords this weekend in a bid to get them to slash its crippling rent bill and prevent it from tumbling into administration. Sportswear giant Nike will unveil a 10 per cent hike in its revenues at its third-quarter results this week, according to Wall Street analysts.

B&Q owner Kingfisher is expected to report falling sales and profits on Wednesday, as it continues to restructure itself to cope with people abandoning DIY in favour of paying tradesmen.

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The London Stock Exchange is bidding to merge with Deutsche Boerse

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Europe’s biggest financial markets would fall into American hands unless the London Stock Exchange succeeds in its bid to merge with Deutsche Boerse, the head of the German exchange has warned.

Thousands of steel workers at Tata’s giant Port Talbot site are braced for a “doomsday scenario”, amid fears that the company’s board may fail to back a plan to revive the ailing plant.

OBSERVER

The furore surrounding the planned Hinkley Point nuclear power station in Somerset is likely to go nuclear on Wednesday when MPs question the UK chief executive of EDF, the debt laden, state-controlled French utility that is meant to be building the plant.

SUNDAY TIMES

Bank bosses will have their bonuses slashed if they do not appoint more women to senior roles under a series of radical proposals to be unveiled on Tuesday.